FIRST RACE – A chilly day, making the stretch headwind feel even more draining … GET LIT defended the pocket, moved in the stretch and drew away easily. CAVIART SAGE got an early tuck, sat in, angled to widest early stretch and closed for the distant second. MACH WEST was three-wide leaving, then two-wide until getting in third at the quarter, just missed getting second late. TRAY SURREAL worked out a second-over trip, three-wide late on the far turn, OK. SPRINGSTEEN started uncovered into the second turn, paced 26.3 with the wind down the back but only got to the pocketsitter’s saddle pad, still didn’t fade too badly considering the trip. ROLLWITHPAPAJOE was intent on keeping the lead, rated the second quarter vs. the wind then picked it up, nothing left for the stretch. ATTA BOY DAN stayed in, blocked in the stretch. STATEMENT MADE A went to the two-wide tier but was not a factor.
SECOND RACE – STREET SMARTS was parked until just past the ¼, set the pace, held off a rival to each side. AWSOME PAUL left but took back, sat in third, got closer on the turn then outside midturn, game to be up for second in the last step. HEART MATTERS left strongly, yielded at the ¼, gapped in quarter two but then got closer, Pocono Pike, tried hard. GINGER TREE BRAD stayed connected, moved out midstretch and had finishing trot. THE REST did not ever enter contention.
THIRD RACE – TALLCHIEF HANOVER left, had cover to the 3/16, went up but didn’t have enough speed and took back to third near the 3/8, sat in third, got access to the Pocono Pike and had enough as the pace was slowing late. RUMORED was first on top, yielded and kept the pocket, outside headstretch, never ahead but not far away. ZIRA was parked 3/16 for the lead, held the lead until midstretch, then gave way. SWEET GADGETS went evenly. SPLIT POT moved out on the turn but didn’t fire. LIZZIANA came outside but never gained. THE OTHER TWO lost contact before the half.
FOURTH RACE – PARK SLOPE got early positioning, came uncovered 5/8, grinded up to the leader, worked by her approaching deep stretch. ULI BLUE CHIP was three-wide to turn one and on top before the 3/16, rated the half, raced very well but just didn’t have enough sprint at the end. ANGELINA HANOVER came out with cover, couldn’t go with it late turn, best of the others. HOLD ME CLOSER took the top early then yielded for the two-hole, unplugging from the 11/16. NETWORK EXTENDER was third-over but didn’t have much late. THE OTHER DUO were never in the picture.
FIFTH RACE – MAXIMUS MIKI made the top then pushed most of the ¼ before yielding, sat tight in the pocket, to the Pocono Pike and got by KING KONG KALIBRE. The latter was out most of the ¼ before getting control, rated the half, had pressure from the first-over, shook that one off, just failed to hold on. BET ON ZETTE came raw 5/8 and made a stiff challenge, tired early stretch, far ahead of the others. SMOKIN JOE HANOVER lagged the top three from shortly off the second turn. DARIO HANOVER retucked around a gapper, so-so in the Pocono Pike. BRYCE never entered the picture; nor did WHISKEYANDRAIN. ALABAMAJAMMA was away third then broke 3/16.
SIXTH RACE – QUAINT was three-high to curve one, went on to the front past the ¼, set the pace as she pleased, had enough to withstand a late bid from MRS TAYLOR. The latter took charge from the rail, yielded past the ¼ for the two-hole, came out soon into the stretch, couldn’t quite get by. SWEET EMMY LOU was between horses early, tucked in, started to fade from the top two on the turn. QUINNPATRICKSHEA also had trouble keeping up in the last ¼. ALDEBARAN ACRUX looked at leaving then backed off, started uncovered near the half, never got close. CANTERAWISHING was last, in tight quarters nearing the line. JAKARTA PARTYGIRL offered little. BANK BREAKS moved with cover but had little to offer.
SEVENTH RACE – BELIEVEINTHESPIRIT was urged leaving from the pole and controlled the pace, handled all challenges. EDEN PAIGE N left and settled into the pocket, had a chance in the Pocono Pike but couldn’t gain enough. BETTOR’S WESTERN went uncovered off the second turn, made progress in quarter three and on the turn, then backed off gradually. ER VEGAS sat in, evenly late. SOMWHERENBROOKLN N was second-over but couldn’t off much off cover; the same could be said of SAMMY THE BULL N from third-over. THE OTHER TWO gapped at the back.
EIGHTH RACE – JAGEN H’GHAR left and was three-wide past the 1/8, fell in behind the cover of an early mover then was left uncovered past the ¼, went on to the lead past the 3/8, had no serious late opposition. SECRET RULE was uncovered at the 5/8, retucked in the pocket ¾, came out in the lane but couldn’t cut into the winner’s margin. CIRCUIT PARTY moved behind cover, was left uncovered far turn, next in line. A ONE A went right out to command, yielded past the ¼, shuffled when the pocketsitter gave way, came clear and ducked back inside, evenly. ZETTE FLAME did get a check. PUB HOPPING was away second, moved nearing the ¼ in front of the winner, claimed the top then yielded to the challenger, started gapping more and more from past the half. DONATELLO HANOVER miscued shortly before the start. EMBRACE THE STONE broke nearing turn two.
NINTH RACE – SPINOUT showed good gate speed to emerge with the early lead, rated the half, then was just plain faster than these in the last half. SAFENSOUND HANOVER was three-wide to the first turn, worked up into the pocket 3/16 and had a fine journey, did OK but had to settle for second. ARTACHE HANOVER sat in, had some late gain in the Pocono Pike. SPORTSMANSHIP left, wound up third, moved outside midturn but had no forward gear. DREAM OF LUCK was not heard from. BLOW A CLOUD N gapped nonadvancing cover. DARTH FADER moved nearing turn two, advanced but could only get to the wheel of the pocket horse before fading. SCRAPPIN GOLD had some early speed wide, took all the way back to last early and never reemerged.
TENTH RACE – KEN’S WALNER went right out to command, finally got a challenge from HAND DOVER DAN late backstretch, was fighting with that one midstretch when his rival lost stride. The latter settled in third early, came out 5/8 and took it to the leader, searching for more when breaking midstretch and ran home, placed third for LOB. TNT BLUE CHIP stuck to the rail, then moved out early stretch and gained. COMPLETE LIFE sat the two-hole trip, began to unplug from past the 5/8. DISTANCE LEARNING also sat in, also had trot late. SCOTTISH was not heard from. HOLY BEING moved out behind gapping cover, never entered the main picture. FRANK THE ELDER moved second-over but immediately gapped.
ELEVENTH RACE – LET’S GET ROCKED was wide early then got in fourth to the ¼ ahead of trouble, gapped much of the middle half then was out behind cover late backstretch, wide in the stretch and just had enough to catch RESTAURANT BULLY at the very end. The latter was looped early, powered on up to the lead at the ¼, was challenged before the ¾ and was noticeably a bit rough in the last stanza, still only was caught in the shadow of the wire. WARRAWEE XTREME slid into a tuck third 3/16, came uncovered 11/16 and made a good challenge, not far off at the wire. C-BET HANOVER bolted away to a big early lead, yielded at the ¼ to sit second, started to get a little loose on the far turn. TREVOR’S HUNT was leaving when making a break before the first turn, caught right back on and avoided an incident later before the ¼, did OK in recovery. CAPTAIN MAP and BLAZING BLACK were right behind BEACHY BOY HILL when he broke 3/16; none of the three ever got back into it.
TWELFTH RACE – MUSHANA moved just before the quarter, needed the entire second panel to reach the top, but kept control from that point. DIVINE SPIRIT came uncovered 5/8 and picked up cover on the turn, soon wider and closed very well to wrest second from CHUCKY DE VIE. The latter left and put opponents in behind, made the winner work very hard to get to the front then sat the pocket, neither gained nor lost ground in the stretch. MISS MUSCLE raced into the pocket past the 1/8, stayed in until midturn, couldn’t advance. BRIGITTE BI left into a 3-spot, couldn’t gain in the lane. JUSTIFY and PHANTOM RUSTY gapped near the back; CHOCOTURE also never was a major danger.
THIRTEENTH RACE – GREYSTONE WATCHMAN took immediate control from the pole, rated the half, then turned it up to a higher gear and never was in danger. LETMECALLYOUBACK took the pocket early, moved out late on the turn but lost ground, still staying second. KEYSTONEFIGHTNIGHT grabbed position out of the gate, stayed third-in, little late. ALWAYS BETTER sat midpack, to the Pocono Pike but couldn’t get there for third. LATEST ATTRACTION got the last check. MICHAEL’S MONSTER moved out 11/16 but never advanced. GRATEFUL KISS was hard to settle back early, lost contact in the last half.
FOURTEENTH RACE – CAPTAIN COOK defended the pocket early and waited, went to the Pocono Pike and proved to have the most of these. BARRYWHITE HANOVER took back to slot third, stayed in, went to the deep Pike and was gaining pretty well late. PBR STREET GANG tucked in fourth at the 1/8, moved uncovered at the half and challenged, was caught only by the inside horses. MY BOY JACK used the pole to establish control, came under pressure, didn’t fade all that badly. LENDA HAND MAN looked at leaving but then took back sharply, moved uncovered towards turn two then picked up cover at the half, gradually tightened in on it, missed second by only a neck. I’LL TAKE THE BET was third-over, OK. CENTURY HEFNER stayed in and didn’t keep up.